Urgent Notice to All Club Secretaries

Please be aware that unless you have correctly completed and returned your club re-affiliation paperwork for 2016, your club will not be insured. We are unable to make any exceptions to this ruling as our underwriters will not accept claims made if the correct paperwork has not been submitted and received at our NSRA offices.

Please note that if you have already submitted your renewal paperwork, your club will be covered by our insurance, providing this is complete and correct. Any slight delay you may experience in receiving confirmation of your renewal is due to the Christmas / New Year break and the resulting volume of work we have to process.

To avoid unnecessary telephone calls and if you have yet to send in your renewal paperwork, please refer to the letter sent to you in October 2015, detailing the relevant forms for completion, the information required and the club renewal fee payable for 2016.

Thank you in advance for your co-operation and understanding during what is for us a very busy time of the year.

If you need another copy of the forms, all 2016 membership forms can be downloaded below:

Range Conducting Officer

the person in overall control of a range where there is more than one Range Officer officiating.

Range Conducting Officer (RCO)

a person holding a Range Conducting Officer qualification issued by a relevant national governing body of shooting.

Range Officers

It is part of the NSRA’s philosophy on safety that all shooting should take place under the control of a Range Officer who:

is appropriately experienced in all aspects of range control and related matters;

holds a relevant qualification, the issue of which has been approved by an appropriately qualified assessor.

In the case of all ranges rented by civilian clubs from military sources, it is a condition of hire that the range must be controlled by a Range Officer who holds an RCO qualification issued by the NSRA or NRA. Non-military range owners may apply similar conditions to the use of their facilities.

RCO Course Pack

The course pack is obtainable from Membership Services at the NSRA and one copy will be required for each candidate for the qualification. Copies may be purchased singly or in bulk by clubs or individuals using this order form. Each course pack will be serially numbered, and the same number will appear on the ID card and qualification certificate.

The price of the pack (currently £15.00) includes the charges for the course assessment and for the issue by the NSRA of the relevant ID cards to successful candidates and the certificate to their clubs.

The following are issued on the completion of the assessment.

A personal ID card for retention by the candidate. RCOs are required by the military authorities to present this ID card when officiating on their ranges, and are encouraged to have it with them when officiating on any other range.

A certificate for retention by the club, which may include the names of one or more RCOs who are members of that club. This certificate should be, where possible, on display at the club's premises. Range owners, but not the military authorities, may also accept it as evidence of the qualification of the named individuals.

An engraved lapel badge is also available for purchase by successful candidates.

Assessment

The assessment of candidates may be undertaken by any person holding one of the following qualifications:

GBTSF or NSRA

Regional Coach

County Coach

Club Coach

Coach Educator

NSRA

Club Instructor

NRA

RCO Assessor

The assessor must sign the application form for the ID card and certificate for each successful candidate.

Validity Period of Qualification

The qualification is subject to a validity period of five years from the date of issue. Three months before the expiry date application should be made for renewal, at which time a further copy of the Course Pack will need to be purchased. On renewal it will be sufficient for the Club Secretary to confirm that the RCO has been active in undertaking RCO duties during the period of the expiring qualification. However, it is also recommended that all RCOs should take appropriate steps between renewals to keep themselves up to date with relevant developments in shooting practice.

Dual Club Qualification

The RCO qualification assessment is normally undertaken at a candidate's home club and in relation to the circumstances, range layout and procedures at that club. However, an RCO may regularly act in that role at more than one club.

Where required, the name of an RCO who qualified at one club can be added to the certificate held by another club at which he officiates. In such circumstances the Secretary of the second club should apply to the NSRA for the RCO to be added to their certificate, giving the name of the RCO concerned and the serial number of the RCO’s ID card.

It will be sufficient in these circumstances for the Club Secretary to certify that the RCO is fully conversant with the safety and other relevant arrangements applicable at that club. It will not be necessary for the RCO to undertake a second assessment unless it is the specific requirement of the club.